Homily starter anecdote: The phoenix bird: The late Catholic Archbishop of Hartford, John Whealon, (died on August 2, 1991), had undergone cancer surgery resulting in a permanent colostomy when he wrote these very personal words in one of his last Easter messages: "I am now a member of an association of people who have been wounded by cancer. That association has as its symbol the phoenix, a bird of Egyptian mythology. The Greek poet Hesiod, who lived eight centuries before Jesus was born, wrote about this legendary bird in his poetry.

In his address to the city of Rome and the entire world Urbi et Orbi, Pope Francis spoke about the current conditions of the world, namely with reference to Corona virus that has inflicted severe distress on the extended human family. He coined a new term, which is the second "infection" caused by Easter, namely the "contagion of hope". The world thirsts nowadays for this positive and beautiful infection, because it constitutes a glimmer of hope that shines into the souls and hearts promising the presently sorrowful people, that the future will be better, God willing.

Today, Christian believers throughout the world, make the confident and bold declaration, “Jesus Christ is Risen from the dead! Alleluia! The Lord is Risen! He is truly Risen!”

It’s an assertion that echoes biblical faith, as the Bible recounts the betrayal, mockery, humiliation, sham trial, unjust condemnation, torture, and brutal death of Jesus of Nazareth. He was a man known for his signs and wonders, mighty preaching.

Fr. Antony Kadavil reflects and comments on the readings of the Mass of Easter Sunday. He says that today's liturgical celebration marks the birthday of our eternal hope.
ACTS 10:34a, 37-43; COL 3:1-4; JOHN 20:1-9

As Pope Francis pointed out in his video message for Holy Week, Christians are celebrating Easter this year in “a truly unusual way”. How can we respond to Jesus’ statement: “I desire to eat the Passover in your house”?

In his video message ahead of Holy Week, Pope Francis said social distancing measures put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19 mean that “through us, the “Easter Gospel will resound in the silence of our cities.”

How can we celebrate the Easter Triduum liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday?

The Via Crucis, or Way of the Cross, meditations for Good Friday this year have been prepared by prisoners, volunteers, family members and others, associated with a corrections facility in Northern Italy.

As Pope Francis pointed out in his video message for Holy Week, Christians are celebrating Easter this year in “a truly unusual way”. How can we respond to Jesus’ statement: “I desire to eat the Passover in your house”?

In his video message ahead of Holy Week, Pope Francis said social distancing measures put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19 mean that “through us, the “Easter Gospel will resound in the silence of our cities.”

How can we celebrate the Easter Triduum liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday?

We rejoice because Jesus Christ, who triumphed over death, enables us also to triumph over all forms of death in our life. In our life, indeed, the forms of death are many.

Some of the world’s great—along with many of those who have power—are still walking in the ways of death. They are imposing many wars on our Middle East and on our Holy Land, the land of the Resurrection. They see nothing but death as a way to life. The strong in our land continue to see the death imposed on the Palestinian people as their only way to life and security.

I woke up at 4 a.m. today and suffered from certain unrest, apparently for reflecting on what happened in Jerusalem, in similar days to ours, nearly two thousand years ago.

At the time, Jerusalem witnessed eight types of behavior, particularly with regard to the suffering and death of Christ on the cross:

1) Christ weeping over Jerusalem (Luke, chapter 19, verses 41-44)

2) Peter cried after his denial of Christ (Luke, chapter 22 verse 62)

3) Judah cries after he betrayed Christ (Matthew, chapter 27, verses 3-5)

Our Lord’s submission to death and his subsequent resurrection, even if they do not explain fully or answer all our questions concerning the suffering of the innocent, do comfort and encourage us.

Without a doubt, Holy Week of 2020 is tragically historic in this time of COVID-19, a true global plague. Since the end of World War II, humanity has not been subjected to a situation so grave and mortal as this. However, in spite of this inescapable reality, the Christian Holy Week comes providentially to give us encouragement, strength and hope for our life and happiness.